Bridge Housing Annual Report 2022 - Flipbook - Page 26
A CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
2021-22 was also characterised by a changed political landscape at both the State and
Commonwealth levels.
Following the Federal election in May 2022,
the new Commonwealth Labor Government
has elevated the housing portfolio to Cabinet
at a national level, with a new focus on
addressing the affordable housing crisis.
The Commonwealth Government has
outlined an ambitious housing agenda,
which includes development of a national
housing strategy, establishment of the
Housing Australia Future Fund to build
30,000 new affordable housing properties
over the next five years and a new shared
equity scheme to assist first home buyers.
This housing agenda creates an environment
of opportunity for the community housing
sector to grow and deliver more affordable
housing for people in need.
In NSW, Gladys Berejiklian was replaced
by Dominic Perrottet. The new Premier has
retained the focus on reducing homelessness,
with additional investment in the Together
Home program to ensure that people who
were supported during COVID-19 did not
return to homelessness.
Bridge Housing’s proven success in handling
the State Government COVID-19 response
to people who are homeless and street
sleeping, has once again demonstrated
our expertise in Housing First programs.
Through our management of the Together
Home and STEP to Home programs in
the inner city, we have assisted 222 people
experiencing homelessness or at risk of
homelessness to find a safe and secure home.
Working in partnership, with our support
services NEAMI National, St Vincent De
Paul, Mission Australia and the Salvation
Army services, Bridge Housing has helped
to halve rough sleeping numbers across the
inner city of Sydney.
The NSW Land and Housing Corporation
has also worked with the community housing
sector to revise their direct dealing policies
to support the delivery of more social
housing on government land. This opens
the opportunity to redevelop housing we
currently manage on behalf of the NSW
Land and Housing Corporation into new
fit-for-purpose housing.
Several local Councils are embracing new
targets for affordable housing and using
their planning levers to boost supply. Our
partnership with the City of Sydney to
develop new homes is an example of this
approach as is our management of affordable
housing programs on behalf of Waverley
Council and Canada Bay Council.
We believe partnerships that leverage
the capacity of the community housing
sector are central to solving the affordable
housing crisis. If changes in State and Local
Government policy can be combined with
funding through the new Housing Australia
Future Fund, there is a real opportunity to
super charge the redevelopment of old social
housing properties to deliver more housing.
There are also several large tender
opportunities underway, including major
projects such as Waterloo South. If
successful, these provide great opportunities
for Bridge Housing, not only in terms of
expanding our portfolio but consolidating
our position as the key, inner-city community
housing provider in Sydney.
Bridge Housing advocates for a stronger community
housing sector that can better respond to the challenges
of addressing housing affordability and homelessness.
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